Edgerunners

Beasts of the Badlands

Over the years, the canines of the badlands have been interbreeding – coyotes, wolves and domestic dogs: everything from chihuahuas to mastiffs mixing into one new modern breed, officially known as the Golden Wolf, but more commonly known as the Dhoggie. Dhoggies are slightly smaller than wolves, with a tawny pelt, erect ears and bushy, curled tail. Dhoggies travel in packs, typically in packs of 8-12, though larger packs aren’t uncommon. In most ways, their hunting hunting tactics are similar to that of wolves, supplemented by scavenging, but the Dhoggie is also a keen reader of human facial/body language, giving them a major advantage over over wolves and coyotes, which they are rapidly replacing. Several clans of Nomads are known to keep Dhoggies as pets/hunting companions/emergency food supply.

Horror-Birds are the gene-warped decedents of chickens, appearing as squat axe-beaked flightless monstrosities. Origninally, Gen-Nu was breeding a experimental ‘super-poultry’ – larger and producing more eggs, but when the Gen-Nu Disaster hit, the resulting species was a vicious predatory creature with a keen intellect and rapid breeding rate. Horror-Birds typically form flocks of 2-5 active females hunters and 1 “rooster” with an equal number of females tending hatchlings in the nesting area. Eggs are laid every 12hrs, but as the chics are cannibalistic, about 60% of the chics don’t survive. Horror-Birds stay with the nest for week before they are driven out by the elders to form their own flocks. The Horror-Bird has a natural life expectancy of about 15 years, but few make it longer than 4. Other than the threat they pose in the wild, there are persistent rumors that security forces are experimenting with Horror-Bird guard animals.

As it’s name suggests, the Gila Dragon is a Gen-Nu altered gila monster, averaging around 100lbs. Gila Dragons walk in a slow and lumbering gait, but are capable of running at respectable speeds if they need to. As predators, Gila Dragons locate prey almost entirely by scent, and use patience and ambush tactics to deliver their powerful venom

Gnox are genetically designed meat animals sharing genetic material with the old bison of the plains, but also with African water buffalo and wildebeast, then mutated further by the gen-Nu viruses. They stand up to seven feet at the shoulder, shaggy but lean and with a terrible temper. Their sharp horns and tusks can be as much as eight feet in span, and they weigh in at around two thousand pounds – with old bulls being up to twice that size. A herd will descend on cropland or a patch of other greenery and eat it bare, then move on.

Like the Gnox, the Hawx was originally intended as a food source that could survive in the harshest conditions. Based mostly on the genes of turkey vultures and further gene-warped by the gen-nu virus, Hawx are massive birds with 12’ wingspan and the ability to survive on just about any food source. They rarely attack humans, unless the human is obviously weakened from exposure, and several nomad tribes are known to keep them as pets/mascots and a food source – their large eggs are known to be especially delicious.

Infamous “Hogzillas”, demestic pigs gone feral and reaching monstrous sizes, have been devisting rural areas for centuries. But as bad as they were, their destructive tendencies were raised an order of magnitude after the Gen-Nu disaster, when feral hogs were gene-warped into 1200lb gluttonous death machines, eating anything they can get a hold of – with the possible exception of Gnox and Vile Goats. Hell Pigs are thankfully solitary, except in mating season, when their bellicose mating fights reaches epic levels of violence but pales to what they do to any creature that disrupts one.

In a tragically disastrous case of history repeating itself, there was a popular movement just prior to the collapse to save the dwindling bee population – enthusiasts figured if they were repopulating the species, why not try and breed a hardier species – and while they were at it, one that produced more/sweeter honey. Native Bee populations were crossed with African populations, much as they were in the later 1950s – which resulted in the “Killer Bee” epidemic. This time, precautions were taken, populations were closely monitored and genetic manipulation should have kept the population reasonably safe. Of course, one the Gen-Nu outbreak reached the bees, all of that was out the window – now massive swarms of large, incredibly territorial bees buzz through the bad lands. Unlike most honey bees, Golden Bees may sting multiple times without tearing their abdomen. On the plus side, Golden Bees do create more honey than any other species of bees.

*Cost reduced for No Manipulators (-40%).
† Stats are for a 1-hex Swarm, attacks against the swarm do 1pt of damage, representing the death of a few bees, but area affect attacks (such as cones, explosions, etc.) do full damage.

Lox

39 Points

Named for a native wolverine spirit symbolizing fury and gluttony, the Lox is a monstrous beast of creature feared and renown for it’s brutal temper and voracious appetite. Typically 4’ at the shoulder and weighing 440lbs, the Lox is a fearsome creature capable of taking on nearly any animal short of a Gnox. Lox are excellent trackers, and have an odd “vengeance” instinct and have been rumored to track “offenders” – typically creatures that kill their prey, disturb their nests, or lay traps in their hunting frounds – for several weeks. Another trait many find “evil” in the Lox is their despoiling of carcasses: if a Lox makes a kill, and for some reason does not finish off the carcass, they will spray it with a foul musk, insuring no other animal feasts off of their kill! Lox are viciously solitary creatures, coming together once every 3 years for mating, but keeping wide territories any other time.

Montauk

The Montauk is a mutated cougar, no data exists of any experiments being done on cougars prior to the Gen-Nu disaster, but the number of Montauk roaming the badlands suggests the outbreak started among a larger population than is believed to have existed in the wilds – possibly a controled breeding population. Montauks are incredibly solitary, except durring mating season, and male will attempt to kill/drive away any other male in their territory with fierce determination. Like most cats, Montauks are ambush hunters that use stealth and a leap attack to break preys neck, and are hard-wired to pounce – a trait that a cleaver person may use to their advantage.

The Nova Monitor is a terrifying bad-lands predator – an incredibly fast, very large lizard that hunts in a way not seen in reptiles for millennia. More like cheetahs than lizards, Nova Monitors run down prey with incredible speed, then allow their septic bite to take affect. As of yet, all attempts to identify the parent species of the Nova Monitor have turned up nothing, but all leads hint at an equal part gengineering and Gen-Nu mutation. Nova Monitors are violently solitary and viciously carnivorous, not detoured carrion or cannibalism.

Before the Gen-Nu disaster, the Nuval was considered the greatest achievement in genetics to date – a hybridized animal capable of hosting human transplant organs and creating antibodies for human disease. Nearly all modern bio-organs owe their development to the ground breaking work done through the Nuval. After the disaster, they have become a gene-warped monstrosity with armored skin, a deadly tail and a vicious temper. Nuval are agricultural pests, they will dig up roots and tubers, eat vegetables and the occasional chicken, and trample flowers and grains. Some of the Free Cities and Nomad Tribes are trying to domesticate them, both as a food source as well as a source of medical donor tissues – the heart, liver, spleen, marrow and blood of a Nuval is suitable for human transplant!

Much like the Dhoggie, Plague-Wolves, sometime called Dire-Mutts, are the result of several generations of canine interbreeding. Unlike the Dhoggie, the Plague-Wolf seems to be mostly made up of larger breed guard dogs plus the mutating effects of the Gen-Nu virus. Thick bodied with shortened muzzles, wrinkled folds in their toughened skin, and drooping ears, Plague-Wolves are massive and vicious, and fortunately are rarely in groups larger than 4. Their short, bristly fur is usually black or brindle, but other ranges have been observed. Plague-Wolves use wolf-like tactics to harry and disorient foes, but have a brutal viciousness about them, and their domestic ancestors have imparted an understanding of human facial/body language and a complete lack of fear of humans.

Pokia are large gen-nu altered jackrabbits, averaging around 40lbs, they are crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn) herbivores that are prey to any predators able to catch them, which due to their incredible speed and agility generally involves more cunning or luck than speed. Like the aardvarks of Africa, Pokia occasionally leave abandoned warrens near the surface, which are quickly adopted by other critters, including dhoggies and even gila dragons. Pokia are a favored food source of everything in the Badlands cunning or lucky enough to catch them, and they have a rabbits insane panic reflexes, but for the rare animal that crosses paths with a Pokia without startling it, the Pokia are known to use slam attacks pretty effectively.

Named for a Victorian poem, the Snark is a decidedly cat-like gene-warped raccoon with a penchant for mischief that makes it’s mundane kin look docile in comparison. Incredibly stealthy, cunning and nimble with amazingly dexterous hands and a powerful curiosity, there is little that can be done to safe-guard something that has caught the eye of a Snark – their paws are more than capable of prying open lids, manipulating levers, claps and hinges, and they are even bright enough to use a rock to smash an obstacle or a stick to as a lever to help pry something open. Snarks are omnivores, but have developed a taste for “junk food”, which is an easy way to draw one into an area. Snarks are rarely dangerous to humans unless threatened or the human tries “steal back” an item without offing some processed foodstuffs as a trade, but if one does try to tangle with a Snark, they turn from curious investigator to savage killer in an instant.

*Cost reduced for No Manipulators (-40%).
† Treat Clever as a semi-wild card Skill, using it for a substitution for Pick Lock, Forced Entry, Escape, Filtch, Pick Pockets, and Traps for any puzzles a Snark could reasonably figure out with it’s still animal intellect and limited paws. Due to this major limitation on the skill, I charged it as a Very Hard Skill instead of a true Wild Card.

Turkey Griffin

28 Points

Another Gen-Nu food source that has gotten out of control after the gene-warping virus took hold, the Turkey Griffin is a large scavenging predator, eating anything thing it can get a hold of, but mostly carrion. Turkey Griffins are big and walk with a slow, lumbering gait, but they are surprising fast when motivated. Turkey Griffin hunting is a popular sport, the large beast has plenty of meat and it’s feathers are popular for decorations. Turkey Griffins move slowly and a re fairly dim-witted, making them seem like an easy target, however they are very alert plus incredibly vicious, and can be dangerous to unprepared hunters.

Genetic experiments with goats has been common since the dawn of genetic engineering, some of the most impressive experiments were manipulating goats to produce various chemicals though their milk – the most noted were Kevlar and highly effective anti-biotics used for everything from fighting the common cold to HIV treatment. When the Gen-Nu disaster hit, many of these so-called “Pharm Animals” escaped and bred with local sheep populations. The combination of various genetically altered chemicals in their milk and the gene-warping effects of the Gen-Nu virus lead to hardy breed of cantankerous goats that can survive just about anywhere and have no natural enemies, due to the toxic nature of their flesh. Vile goats are grumpy and aggressive, and are incredibly resistant to toxins (including tranquilizers), but many Nomad tribes are known to have domesticated the foul creatures, partly for a walking drug factory, but mostly as mascots that look so much like early ’80’s icons of satanism.

Toxic Flesh; °Toxic Milk (Females Only; Milk is a thick, slimy goo with a horrid stench, it is highly toxic to anything except vile goats, may be distilled into a potent poison or even the base of a hallucinogenic drug.)